Artist Statement

Jamarr Cox

My name is Jamarr Cox. I am a Louisville native who has been creating art as far back as I can remember. I began painting with acrylics in high school over 30 years ago. The ability to dry quickly is what makes acrylic my preferred choice over oil. My brain algorithm just works better that way. Although I temporarily put away the brush and canvas, I never drifted away from my artistic destiny. I received a degree in Commercial Art and I'm currently a web / UI developer by day. My new work is a journey of the mind, individuality, and visual discovery... hoping to push the viewer into a mental corner... not only discovering things about my art, but about themselves as well.

My work is what I like to call "expressionistic realism." It consists of bright and dark... contrasty and dull... oddities and normality... match and mismatch. I use people and the human figure as a tool to help connect with the viewer emotionally. The art consists of visuals that don't always go together, but somehow seem to work well together. If one second, you're saying, "that makes perfect sense" and then the very next second, you're saying "that doesn't really make sense"... well then I consider that a job well-done.

Dreaming In the Dark Series

Dreaming in the Dark is an artwork series centered around expressionistic realism. It celebrates uniqueness, individuality and overcoming obstacles within our path. It takes the thoughts and imagination of the mind and magnifies to a much higher level.

Whether a dream or nightmare is all perspective. The characters in the dream are either working for us or against, but either way they’re both products of us… our own thoughts and emotions and what we’re going through. They can also be a fear or something we struggle overcoming. Those fears will either stop you or propel you... not much different than life. The characters you encounter will either be the protector or the villain… that all depends on you.

So…

The furry pajamas represent the long sleep until we finally wake up in the light.

The “dark” represents the challenges, trials and tribulations, that goal that seems so far away it looks almost impossible.

So when you are 'Dreaming in the Dark', you are embarking on a journey to achieve a goal that some will tell you is impossible … it will contain many adversaries, speed bumps, many bad habit enablers, temptations, protectors and villains. So keep dreaming until you see the light at the end of the path.